Grandma Leggiero's Easter Rice Pie

Sweet Crust

• 3 C Flour
• 1 1/2 t. salt
• 1/3 C sugar
• 3 t. baking powder
• 1 egg plus milk to equal 3/4 C
• 1 1/2 t. vanilla
• 3/4 Shortening (can be half shortening, half butter)

Mix dry ingredients together. Mix wet ingredients together. Cut shortening/butter into dry ingredients until shortening is pea sized. (Food processor works great) Mix in wet ingredients just until dough holds together. Gather into a ball and refrigerate for 20-30 min. Don't overwork the dough.

Filling

• 2/3 C rice
• 1 qt milk
• 6 egg yolks
  
• 2 C sugar
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 1/2 lbs ricotta
  

Cook rice about 10 minutes in water, then drain. Add rice to milk and cook gently until all milk is absorbed. Stir frequently to keep rice from scorching. (about 1 hr). Let rice mixture cook completely. Stir in sugar, vanilla and ricotta.

Roll out dough to fit a 9x13 baking dish and fold back edges to make a rim. Fill with filling mixture. Bake at 350 for 1- 1.5 hours until filling is set in the middle and a knife inserted comes out dry. Don't overbake.

Several smaller pies can be made from this recipe. The baking time will be less.